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Dragon Quest Builders 2 Discussion (Nintendo Switch) [game]
 
Dragon Quest Builders 2 on the Switch
8.85/10 from 2 user ratings

Welcome to the official discussion thread for Dragon Quest Builders 2 on the Switch!

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Unlike the first Builders, Switch owners get to enjoy this one at the same time as everyone else! So far, I'm impressed with the game; only a couple hours in and it's already very addictive and I appreciate the improved features (like an enormous bag for your inventory, whoa).

My only gripe so far is the fairly slow and dialogue-heavy beginning (which is pretty much the entirety of our playable demo). After that, it's smooth sailing.

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07/15/19, 17:02    Edited: 07/15/19, 17:03
 
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I want this but I doubt I'll ever get it since I got the original but then dropped it cuz all the other games coming out.

I can't buy 2 when I haven't even come close finishing the first.

Too bad, I shoulda just waited for 2.
07/15/19, 18:11   
Small detail but something that really irks me: They didn't adjust the size of the typography for the small screen, they optimized it for TV and then on the Switch screen let it scale down to like 3 pixels high. It's barely legible
07/16/19, 04:13   
I was in a weird "I want to play something but I need a break from the stuff I've been playing" mood and downloaded a ton of demos, this is one of them, so I guess I'll check it out soon.
07/16/19, 06:47   
My goodness, this game is addictive. I love quirky experiences like this; reminds me of the playful-yet-polished nature of some games in the GCN and Wii era that felt super-inventive (Rune Factory Frontier, Little King's Story and the original Animal Crossing all come to mind).

@deathly_hallows

It's pretty tiny on my TV too. The port isn't quite optimized for the Switch, but the minor performance issues don't bug me much. I'm just happy we have it the same time as everyone else now. I can deal with the tiny text, although the game does drink down the battery life quickly in handheld mode.

@Zero

The demo is fairly wordy but should give you a taste of what makes the game fun. I actually think DQB1 had a stronger demo, but DQB2's gameplay is a lot tighter and more polished once you get rolling. Lots of improvements.
07/16/19, 08:36   
A dozen hours or so in, this game is great and I must say, Animal Crossing has its work cut out for it if it wants to be the best sim on the Switch. Builders 2 is inventive, creative, and charming as heck. The pacing is pretty deliberate and it's very very wordy, but I highly recommend it regardless. I also have no interest in Minecraft but I love this sub-series!
07/18/19, 05:04   
I tried out the demo, I enjoyed it well enough though it didn't totally win me over. On the fence, and considering how many games I own / want right now, probably will stay there for awhile.

Having never played Minecraft or similar games though I'm always a bit confused by these games. So you have specific tasks to accomplish, right? But then you also can just go wild and build all kinds of crazy stuff too? But like, is there any point to that in-game? Is it helping you work towards a greater goal, or just "for fun" until you get back to the tasks?
07/18/19, 07:18   
Edited: 07/18/19, 07:18
@Zero

I've only played a couple hours of Minecraft in a multiplayer setting with a friend's kids. As far as I know, MC is randomly generated and much of the game is completely open-ended, albeit with some survival elements at night...? I appreciate the concept of an entirely destructible/constructible world, but the lack of goals wasn't for me.

DQB2 is far more focused though. IMO the Switch demo is too wordy and ends a little too soon because it's basically just the tutorial. Shortly after where the demo ends, you take off to the first main story island and help a town rebuild its farming community from basically a poisoned mess of nothing. The progression often goes like this: an NPC will give you some sort of quest ("build me a bathroom" "seek out this item in the wilderness" "go slay this creature"), you'll go do it, and the villager will reward you with their gratitude points (essentially the game's currency) as a reward, in addition to learning some new skills or recipes along the way. Your town will be a central base but you wander away from it to explore pretty frequently, and the world can be rather large (but there's fast-traveling).

What makes all this appealing is what the kiddos these days call the "gameplay loop," where it always feels like the game's multiple elements are complimenting each other. Building your base up makes you a better explorer, and exploring helps you build better things. Mix this in with some very endearing characters with a lot of personality and the DQ's skill in weaving a story that's simple but still has moments of sadness and despair, and I'm already feeling like this is one of the best action-RPGs I've played. It's an adventure first and a building game second; I'm not really into Minecraft, but I think the guidelines they give you for building stuff and the rewards for doing so give DQB2 the structure I need to enjoy a game like this. Eventually, even your townspeople will be doing the chores and building stuff for you! The focused and nonlinear parts really compliment each other well.
07/18/19, 17:21   
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